1. Field
The disclosed embodiments relate to a monolithic self-stiffened panel, in particular a composite panel for an aircraft landing gear door.
2. Brief Description
The panels of landing gear doors for aircraft are panels which must be light, whilst at the same time tolerating numerous openings and closures, must generate little drag and must be capable of withstanding considerable thermal, vibratory and aerodynamic stresses.
Traditional constructions of landing gear doors utilize metal panels, on which fittings are directly fixed. Embodiments using composite panels do exist, but the fixing of the fittings remains complex.
One difficulty of replacing the traditional metal panels by sandwich panels made of composite materials is that these panels are more sensitive to impacts and are prone to fill with water without being able to be emptied. It is necessary, on the one hand, to reinforce the panels, which makes their weight balance less favorable, and, on the other hand, to make them seal-tight, which is complex.
As regards the fixing of the fittings, document WO99/26841 A1 in the name of the Applicant relates to the realization of a panel comprising mounted stiffeners and fittings fixed on the panel. This embodiment using multi-ply composite materials, particularly suitable for producing a fan cowling of a jet engine, nevertheless remains relatively weighty and a more economical and lighter realization is sought.